me and my friends are arguing, if it is possible to drill a hole into the earth core. We donīt care about economics and stuff, the only thing we argue about is the level of human knowledge needed to do this, and if the mankind already has technology to complete this task.

I don't think it would be possible to lubricate a set of bits much further than the middle crust just because of the distance.

Problems would be the heat and distance from the Earth's surface. I would think the further you drill, the more likelihood you have of damaging the bit set since you're essentially trying to transmit the energy required to do the work over many meters.]

The heat would also complicate things. At 200+ degrees F metal bits and rigging would become fatigued. I would assume that some sort of lubrication like clay would need to be used and this would quickly dry.

I do not have the figures, but I doubt a set of drill casings could stand the pressure more than 10 to 20 kms down. The whole thing would collapse, and this would be assisted by the ultra high temperatures, which makes metals soft and plastic.

The lubrication fluids that are pumped into the casings would have to be pumped at a pressure greater than the pressure of rock pressing in. That would soon become impossible, because the pressure is just so enormous.

The large pressure near the center of the earth would cause a greater friction than on the surface, so any lubrication problems are multipied.
Because of the large frictional torque and the length of the drill bit, it would break easily.
And there is the theory that the inner core does not rotate with the rest of earth. Not easy to drill in something that keeps moving.

About the drilling in the mantle and outer core, do you even need to drill through liquid? More like poke through?

If we really wanted to cool the globe, a gradual ventilation program might work out providing we go through to the other side. But think of the air pressure we would have at the center. How much of our atmosphere would have gone below ground considering all that compression? What a rocket-launching setup it might give us. It would be tough to drain if seawater seeped in. On the other hand, if our micro black holes await at the center, the seven seas could just go right down and free up lots of dry land up here. Lets go for it!

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." --Buddha (563BC-483BC)

To my way of reasoning, what we would discover if we were somehow able to locate ourself at the earth's core, would be a major surprise to most people. For we would not be looking at a molten mass in the process of cooling - the distant aftereffects of some fiery bang of enormous bigness after all.

Rather, what we would be gazing upon, would be an ongoing genetic process in which rock and everything else that we recognise as being 'physical' in relation to this planet, is being created/generated. Therefore the region would NOT be a place of cooling, but rather of a constant heating under great pressure, and the resultant process of fusion derived under such conditions - continually generating molten rock.

Of course, as this molten rock is constantly increasing via this process of fusion, the pressure, also is ever mounting - and then needing to be released as magma via a volcano or the like - towards adding more to the physical environment we recognise.

sunshinewarrior: If two people are using the same word, but applying different meanings to it, then they're not communicating.

Nothing physical can survive even a large fraction of the way to the core. Heat and pressure build up to the point where even ceramics will fail. The only way we can probe the core is using non physical means, like seismic waves.

That is your opinion, and in my opinion - around 80-90% of the threads and posts on this, and other kinds of forum, are entirely pointless, as they generally relate in a dishonest fashion - to opinion dressed up as fact.

It really is about time that a few of us decided to GET REAL! Even so, such avenues give vent in a manner previously unavailable, and for that we can be truly grateful - in my opinion.

sunshinewarrior: If two people are using the same word, but applying different meanings to it, then they're not communicating.

I trhink digging into the middle of the earth if it were possible.
I think would cause magnitic problems on earth.
Can't give you science reason why I think this.

I think if it were possible. digging a hole to the middle of the earth would cuase gravitational problem between the Earth and the Sun but this is just a thought....

I think making a hole to the center of the Earth would make it hard for the Sun to hold on the earth the way it does know.

Like I said it's just a thought.

Would like to know your thoughts on this. If I'm wrong. Why ?

*************Terry Arceneaux***************

The gravitational pull is based on the masses and distance, not on the shape of the objects or whether the objects have a solid center. Besides, wouldn't any such hole fill up from the liquid outer core?

The deepest hole ever drilled was just over 12 kms down, and the temperature was already 180 C, and the rocks were already becoming plastic - tending to flow inwards under pressure to seal off the bore hole.http://www.damninteresting.com/the-deepest-hole

The Earth is over 12,000 kms through, meaning that, to reach the centre, the bore would have to go 500 times as deep as the deepest hole ever drilled. At the centre, the pressure is about 4,000 tonnes per square centimetre. The temperature is avout 7,000 C.

Put it all together. There is no way - repeat absolutely no way - that even an advanced drilling system could penetrate to more than a fraction of the distance. Even to get to the Earth's mantle will be a titanic undertaking.

I don't remember if I read this on another group sight or seen this on TV.
I remember someone was gonna try drilling a hole to the center of the EARTH.
but they could not do it.
I think they made a start somewhere in Washington State. they got so deep did not make it. The equipment they had did not hold up to the task. So it got called off.
Do not remember where I read that from.....
Maybe some of you read about that.

You are probably thinking of the Moho Project. That was mooted several decades back, but cancelled due to lack of money. The Moho Project was named after the Mohorovicic discontinuity, which is the boundary between the crust and mantle of the Earth. The project was to drill in one of the spots where the crust was thin, and take samples directly from the top of the mantle. That is a very long way short of drilling to the centre of the Earth!

The crust can be as little as 6 kms. To get past the mantle, though, needs another 3000 kms of drilling. And you are still not at the centre.

Your probably right .
I'm not much of a science wizard. I try to learn as much as I can to where I can understand it.
My biggest interest to this sight is learning as I go. Also wanna learn a little more about the Earth
. And how we can make life better on Earth.
I think the Earth's system is very unique and complexed in it's own way. Next to understanding the human mind.
I think if someone try to tamper with the earth system is asking for trouble.

Sure, it's possible. Can you create an element that doesn't melt at Core temperatures and can you provide an energy source to plow through relatively stable material (following the principle that things are most stable at the environments they are created).

Oh and who is the unlucky labor that has to fix the drill head when it breaks...

www.ecosphereblog.com
I blog about the environment, nature, and science I encounter, learn about, or see.

We currently know of no materials that can withstand the extreme temperatures and pressure of even the mantle- let alone the outer and inner core. I think the metal with the highest melting point is tungsten with a melting point of a few thousand°C, and the inner core has the temperature of a the surface of the sun. And this isn't mentioning the pressure, the inner core is solid even under extreme temperature conditions...

In the movie 'The Core', they invented an element called 'unobtainium' which theoretically became stronger with increased pressure...

"Nature doesn't care what we call it, she just does it anyway" - R. Feynman